Solomon believes the flow of the restaurant is key to making sure the diner has an enjoyable experience. Too often, restaurants ignore obvious red flags like: Not making the flow to and from the kitchen safe and easily accessible for the wait staff. Not making the customer’s first view of the interior attractive, appealing and welcoming. Not prioritizing the need to sanitize everything, from floor to ceiling. Having too much clutter and overzealous décor.

One way to spot problem areas before opening day is to sit in every single chair in your dining room. Study the view from each seat. You may find that one has a direct view into the bus station, while another gets a draft from the front door.

Ruben prefers a bolder selfie wall: “I see a lot of hotels and restaurants leaning toward eye-catching installations that guests use to memorialize a visit on social media. There’s lots of catchy phrases in neon, heavy patterns in wallpapers, and big bold colorways these days. It’s all super fun for the guest that wants to share their visit and, in turn, great marketing for the restaurant.”

To help disguise problem areas, you can try placing dividers, such as wooden partitions, tall plants or screens in between tables. Consider relocating a wait station or bus station, if possible, to a problem area rather than a dining table.